The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-27
THE SCIENCE OF GHOSTS.
RElfARRABLE EXPERIMENT WITH A
CER7AlN BIBULOUs SPIRIT.

REMARRABLE EXPERIMENT WITH A
CERTAIN BIBULOUs sPIRIT
Restor Theosophist. Startled by . LifeIihe
vision-lt Cost 800 to Get the Ghost Ont
or jail, bat it Was q Very satisfactory
Spiritual Exhtbition-A Big Thing.
Boston. Nov. 28.-It is popularity supposed
Tint q ghost Ii necessarily the spectral appari-
ton OF a dead person. This. however, is very
far from being the case. The appearance OF
simulachre of people yet alive is q phenomenon
quite familiar 10 the student of spook lore, who
recognizes them scientifically as " ghosts i'm
proper" by which name they arc distinguished
from the common graveyard variety. The
term, nevertheless, Is scarcely deserved. since
these phantoms OF the living. as q rule, behave
themselves In a most decorous manner. They
do not wander about In sheeted masquerade.
dragging chains behind them and trying to
brighten the superstitious with unearthly
pranks. Like magic lantern pictures they ex-
hibit themselves. popping up and vanishing
again without 40 much as saying q word or ut
tering O squeak to enlightem the haunted re-
gardine the object OF their yisitations.
A gentleman OF my acquaintance. let us say,
is sojourning at the Palmer House in Chicago.
It happens that. the day before he left here. 1
struck him for a trihing loan Of $50. He is sit
ting In front OF an open crate. In dressing gown
and slippers. looking mournfully-as we'll he
might under the circumstances-into the fire,
Slowly there steals upon him tho perception
that he Is, not nlone. He turns, and as he
Razes toward the furthest corner Of the room,
ahuman figure shapes itself out of the dark
ness. gradually becoming more distinct until
q shadowy likeness OF myself stands before
him. For o moment 1t Is clear and lifelike:
then 1t fades way and disappears.
7 4. L. - ., .sleok " 7 .Jil - ,n1l a. rro 4
conscious OF its visit to the city by the lakes.
Presumably I was anxious for the safety Of my
friend, lest a railway smash-up might deprive
me of an opportunity for giving back the $50
above referred to. At tho moment when the
spectrum appeared before him I was doubtless
engaged in hopeless speculation as to how l
should pay the money.
( Such is what is technicallyknown as q "phan-
tasm of the living" Theosophists claim that
spectrcs Of this sort can be projected by the
properly educated intelligence to any place de-
sired, however distant. by a simple exertion Of
the will. 1t is with especial regard to the eluci-
dalton OF this problem that the Society for
Psychical Research has recently been engaged
upon an exhaustive series OF experiments.
The most active member OF the committee
appointed for the investigation Of this interest
Ing subject was a fat stock broker with a red
nose, whose enthusiasm sprang from q natural
taste for spirits. alcoholic and otherwise. 1t
was at his suggestion that he was sent, q
few days ago, to Albany. N. Y, with full in
structions and credentials as agent for the
]s ss ieiiSwj Ehs 10 siF wss fs Ell sty : no ein at Es s"s S sf 'Ry
city hotels. and try, to project his phantasm in
f her the Frs R5esdSlH sssn g nv eI hoans by ra II ssssiGa
supplied with the necessary car fare. Tele-
trial, and when everything should be In readi-
ness. the attempt was to be made.
divine Koot Hooni and his brother Mahatmas,
sue, in the iastnessess Of he H aim iHts'9 noun pTa-
tains. the elucidation Of pure %esoterio Budd.
h anatou Tsf IL p / R2 sSsRs Sf I ms, tsTs f haSe @ sse.
%cessfully conducted them., What was likely.
tt sssr,6ry , to prevent s III the sr achievement opss1v Of a sat sat,
70 transmit spookieal impressions the fat gem
from going to San Francisco for the purpose Of
took his departure for the State capital Of Now
s st3efn on ' this .o Gss 1 + vans %as r lsss s6s ii eoS hiSs
BY the secretary Of the society here:
ha n1pi'' w Rs PH'e e1ise. tonight Looking at '0a' & sd
Though somewhat puzzled by the enigmati-
cal nature Of the telegram above quoted, the
Ing held tho same evening. OF tie six gentle
men present present one was a lawyer ana another Of
hide and leather business, and u fourth in the
dry goods and gents furnishing line. Number
the staff Of a local Observation-Disclosures.
every one OF them in the field Of psychological
sa Ths meeting o yas held a at the rooms ,st q the
s and at tSsst e ho mGy ssepnt Rlisss; w az : IN o feadin - NJ; a
feeling Of confident anticipation pervading the
expected that he would fulfil his ensasemsnt'
the spectre. tho committee set about amusing
itself with n pack of cards, one member fixing
biz Gis. attention s1ino upon q club or a heart, and an
sion. his sort 81 thing.4inoWn technieaiiy as
For two hours and more they entertained
o ossF!S at h %ifs s sIssp sve IKE sIyrs was Sf Sad Pi g!
the II = sd 4sSss sasnf f,sL e , ebss rye isIiEihs s s
5risshtsr ,aatiffit fssemblsS . piistui s thrown why ~
.Th HS9 oth sasrf fo e Es!t he, n Rs!n SiaF sG Exclaimed
tss :txssRalasfias E Eis ehair into u the had isstS Sna
corner Of the room: The rest al followed suit,
s easd 'et, w lSfsstRSs s s RiRanG III ile ihsI Grew RP brigh tss
upon Srsaa t Y s aarxeaasdd a Tah beyond q o By s 8 de-,
human form became family discernibIe.
I'D swear to that nose among q thousand"
a reddish spot which glowed IN the centre Of
what, seemed to be the spectre's face.
THE very feature" echoed the medical man,
who was tho secretary before mentioned.
And the chin whiskers are unmistakable.".
BY this time. every one had recognized the
phantasm. which exhibited o startling resem-
blance to the genial original. 1t appeared to
be seated, though no chair was visible, and its
expression OF countenance was so particularly
cheerful us TO diminish the apprehensions OF
the committee, which about this time was
showing unanimous symptoms Of a desire to
crawl pndeg the, furniture, AS It was, the mem
mutual propinquity, and continued, to eye the
ghost with lessening trepidation. A feeling OF
Meanwhile the spectre did not, change its
t ashssn moi s sniss x distln ~ i%shslSsi to \, is sf lbs. 2 Il
periorminG this operation. each time It would
whore the stomach ought to have been. The
representative In the dry goods and gents fur
ntshing line, whose nostrils were especially
sensitiYe to psychical impressions, remarkad